Category: Starters

What’s your favourite snacking option? Can’t think of one?! Well…the same happens with us too😜 I just can’t pick one favourite! My hubby and I are die-hard street food fans….but I make them at home whenever we have a craving to ensure its healthy. ☺️

Masala Pav is almost like Pav Bhaji but so different in terms of preparation using fewer ingredients and time. Also, it’s the best way to use up some left-over Pav bread or even make a instant snack for kids too👌

Masala pav is spicy, robust and the Pav simply soaks up all the flavours and the becomes so moist..it melts in the mouth! 😉

Common, let’s get started…

Yield: serves 2-3

Equipment: a wok, a griddle/ non-stick pan, measuring cups/ spoons.

Ingredients:

5-6 nos. Pav

1/2 cup chopped onions

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tbsp chopped green chillies

1/2 cup chopped capsicum

1/2 tsp turmeric pwd

1 tsp degi Mirch

1 tbsp Pav Bhaji masala

1 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

salt to taste

2 tbsp oil

butter as needed

lemon juice as needed

Method:

Slit all the Pav horizontally, butter them on all sides and set them aside.

Heat oil in the wok, once it’s hot add the onions, green chilli, ginger- garlic paste. Sauté until the onion turns golden. Then add the capsicum and cook for a few mins until it turns soft. Season with salt and add the remaining spices along with the Pav Bhaji masala as well. Mix well and add the tomatoes. Now cover and cook until the oil seperates. You can add some water if the cooked mixture looks dry, about 1/2 cup or so. Turn off the flame.

To assemble the Masala Pav, addbutter to a hot pan, place the buttered Pav in the pan and add the prepared mixture and coat the Pav well with it. Cook for about 2-3 mins. Serve hot with some lemon juice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves!

I have memories of countless weekends….my breakfast/ brunch would be Sunshine on a Platter…yes! That’s what Poha has always been for me…and my Mom makes the world’s best Poha! Hands down! 😘😘😘we’d fill our tummies with it..and then skip lunch. Some well deserved rest for Mom…what are weekends for then!?

She would even pack this for our lunch boxes sometimes..but I must confess – it tastes best when you have it piping hot! Straight out of the wok..onto your plates..no frills…just some home style cooking👌👌

She had learnt to make this almost 43 years ago..when she had come to Mumbai post her wedding….and ever since then it’s her Signature Dish! That’s because she changed the ingredients a bit to make something similar to one of her favourites from U.P./ Bihar..’chuda matar’ (‘chuda’ means beaten rice flakes and ‘matar’ is green peas)..often eaten as snacks😁 we don’t usuall add any Sev or peanuts while serving it….but you can😛

Let’s get on with my Mom’s recipe..

Yield: serves 2-3

Equipment: a wok, a spatula, a colander, measuring cups/ spoons.

Ingredients:

2 cup Poha (thick variety/ Jada Poha)

3 tbsp oil

1 nos. sliced onion

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 pinch hing (asafoetida)

2 nos. chopped green chilli

5-6 nos. Kari Patta (curry leaves)

1/2 cup green peas

1/2 tsp turmeric pwd

1 tsp grated ginger

salt to taste

1/2 tsp sugar

juice of 1 lemon

chopped coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

Firstly, we need to moisten the poha. For that, take sieved poha in n colander, pour 1 cup water over it. Let the water drain well. Keep it aside. Make sure you don’t drown it in any more water else, you will end up with a big lump of mushy poha.

Now, heat oil in the wok. Once it’s hot, add mustard seeds & hing. Let them crackle a bit. Then add onions, curry leaves, ginger & chillies. Cook on medium flame until the onions turn golden colour. The season with salt, sugar & turmeric pwd. Add 1 tsp of water if needed to avoid the ingredients to stick at the bottom. Also add in the peas. Cook for about 5-6 mins. Stir in the moistened poha next. Cook for 2-3 mins. Add lemon juice. Mix & garnish with chopped coriander leaves😊 enjoy it piping hot!

Schezwan Paneer or Chilly Paneer happens to be one of my favourite starters when I am at a restaurant….😁 perfectly spiced sauce with juicy paneer makes it irresistible for many of us!

Veggies give it a lovely crunch in between bites of velvety sauce..👌..this is something so easy to make at home.. I am sure everyone has their own version. So do I! I keep making it often and never really follow a recipe! But one thing that I try to always use is my Homemade Schezwan Sauce for making this! The flavours are so awesome…just like the restaurant style Schezwan Paneer! 😉

Here’s the easy peasy recipe…

Yield: serves 2

Equipment: a pan, a spatula, measuring cups/ spoons.

Ingredients:

200 gms cubed paneer (cottage cheese, or you can use tofu too)

1/2 cup cubes of capsicum

1/2 cup cubes of onion

8-9 cloves of garlic sliced roughly

5 tbsp Schezwan Sauce

salt to taste

sugar to taste

4 tbsp oil

1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds (optional)

Method:

Heat oil in the pan, once it’s hot, add the sliced garlic. Let it turn golden brown, then add the cubes veggies and season with salt & sugar. Cook until these they a slightly soft but not completely cooked. They must retain their colour as well.

Then add the cubed paneer and Schezwan sauce. Give them all a mix but be careful not to break the cubes of paneer. Cook for about 5 mins. Turn off the flame and serve it hot. This goes well with some Hakka Noodles or Fried Rice too👌☺️

Garnish with some sesame seeds if you want to.

(*Please note that I haven’t added any extra soy or chilly sauce as my Homemade Schezwan Sauce is spicy enough. You can add extra sauce if you’d like it to be more spicy)

Everyone enjoys snacking on some crispy, crunchy finger food! Dipping it in some sauce just makes it all the more yummy…along with a delicious drink to wash it all down👌😁…although a cup of hot tea does the trick too!

These Sesame Soya Tikkis make for a great starter/ snack as they are loaded with yummy & healthy ingredients…no frying…no oily mess! Serve these with my homemade Schezwan Sauceand some Iced Green Tea Limeade…perfecto!

Next, shape the mixture in equal sized Tikkis, roll them in the sesame seeds and set them aside. Heat the non stick pan, once it’s hot enough, place the tikkis on the pan & add few drops of oil around them. Cook them on medium flame for 3-4 mins on both sides or until the seeds turn golden brown and crunchy. That’s it, serve them piping hot! 😀

We Indians love our Indo-Chinese cuisines to the hilt! 😜 I am no different….I am crazy for the all of them…😊

And Schezwan Sauce happens to be my favourite…ever since I first tasted it as a dip along with some Spring Rolls long back! I just fell in love with the fiery, tangy and the mild sweetness all at once!

I even started buying this sauce by a popular brand…however it was obviously full of synthetic preservatives & added colours. So not exactly the healthiest option. So I looked up a few recipes & found one which was perfect. It tastes fiery and absolutely lip-smacking! 😬😬😉

*Please note that I have used fresh red chillies as they are in season now. However, you can use dried chillies, just soak them in warm water for 1 hour & de-seed if you wish to reduce the heat. Then, continue with this recipe.

*We don’t like a very chunky texture hence, I grind the ginger & garlic with the chillies. You can cook them with the onions.

Let’s start the recipe..

Yield: approx 400 gms

Equipment: a wok, a ladle, measuring cups/ spoons.

Ingredients:

200 gms chopped fresh red chillies (de-seed if needed)

1/4 cup chopped garlic

1/4 cup chopped ginger

5 tbsp oil

6 tbsp vinegar (I used Apple Cider vinegar, you can use any variety but avoid balsamic or a darker vinegar)

4 tbsp soy sauce (I used light soy)

2 tbsp ketchup (add more if you like it sweeter)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 tsp cornstarch/ cornflour

salt to taste

Method:

Grind together chopped chillies, ginger & garlic using 2 tbsp of vinegar to a smooth paste. Set it aside.

Then, heat oil in the wok and sauté the onions until translucent. Next add the paste you have kept aside. Cook for 5-8 mins on low flame. Season with salt, add the remaining vinegar & the sauces too. Mix well. Then dilute cornstarch/ cornflour with 2 tbsp water & add it to the simmering sauce, keep stirring continuously for a few mins. Let the sauce again simmer for about 5 mins. That’s it…turn off the heat and cool completely before storing in glass/ porcelain bottles.

It stays well in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks although I have stored it for almost 45 days with no change in flavour & colour.

These flavours are once again, typical from my family’s hometown..’Varanasi’/ ‘Banaras’ and are smaller in size as you can see. They are made in almost the same way all over U.P. and the adjoining areas. Flavours of Garam Masala & asafoetida (hing) are very dominant. Besides, we don’t add peanuts or raisins in the stuffing. But you can do so if you like😊

And then…comes the Chaat! 😜😜😜 Benarasi Chaat is very famous…and the flavours are unbeatable😁😁’Chaat Bhandaars’ (shops) dot the map of this Holy City🙏 So when it comes to samosas…they add lots of tang and flavour to it…chickpea curry (Mattra), chutneys…chopped onions, some broken Sev top the samosa👌👌😋 it’s finger-licking good☺️☺️

Doesn’t this make you drool!? My Mom makes the best Samosas and Banarasi Samosa Chaat..and today I am sharing her recipe here…😄

Mix all the ingredients except the water in a bowl. Rub the ghee with the Maida for at least 10 mins as this gives very good, flaky samosa. The texture will resemble breadcrumbs. Then add little water at a time and make a semi-stiff dough. Let it sit let for a minimum of 30 mins.

Heat oil in a pan, add hing & cumin seeds. Once they splatter, then add the potatoes and green peas. Sauté for 5 mins. Then add the dry masalas and season with salt. Cook for 5 mins. Turn off the flame. Add coriander leaves & mix well. Let the stuffing cool completely before proceeding ahead.

Assembling the samosa:

Make a lemon sized ball of the dough…divide the dough similarly. Now roll each ball to a thickness of about 3mm. Not more. Cut the the rolled dough into two half circles. Make a cone of each half. Seal it carefully. Add the stuffing into the cone…about 1 tbsp in each cone or little more.

Then close the third side of the cone well. Use some water to seal the dough well. Repeat for all the dough. Keep aside for 20 mins before frying them.

Next, heat enough oil in a wok to fry the samosas. Once the oil is hot enough, reduce the flame and drop 2-3 samosas into the oil. Deep fry them at low flame to get crispy & well cooked samosas.

Once done, remove from the oil & drain on some tissues. Serve them piping hot with dips/ chutney of your choice☺️

Now…if you are want to serve it as a Chaat…

Ingredients for the Mattra:

1 cup dry, white chickpeas

3 cup water

salt to taste

1 tsp roasted Jeera pwd

1 tsp Deggi mirch

1/2 tsp chaat masala

Method:

Soak the chickpeas for 5-6 hours. Then add the soaked chickpeas in a pressure cooker with some salt & 3 cups of water. Cook for 4-5 whistles. Let the steam release on its own. Then add the other masalas mentioned above and mix well. That’s it.

Some evenings my hubby craves for snacks with his tea….I say ‘some evenings’ because he usually doesn’t take anything with his evening tea. He loves his tea…so wouldn’t miss that for anything..but munchies aren’t a compulsion 😁 That sure does make life easier for yours truly!! 😜

So last evening he texted me saying that he was craving something spicy like Bhajia /Pakodas! I said no way..I am not frying anything…you will get spicy but definitely not fried. We have consumed too many calories in the past couple of weeks… He was okay with that…told me to go ahead and keep it ready. I looked into my fridge & pantry to check what could be made in precisely 50 mins! Lol!

I am used to keeping some boiled potatoes & beetroot in my fridge…so assemble a quick sandwich usually. But then again, my hubby isn’t fond of sandwiches too….yeah too many restrictions 😫😫 So I decided to add some peas & spices…to make croquettes! Easy-peasy, crunchy Vegetable Croquettes 😉 Non fried…cos they are made in my trusty Aebelskiver / Appe pan!! They taste great…maybe something like a Kolkata Cutlet or even the famous Indian Railway Canteen Cutlets.

Mix all the above ingredients well in a mixing bowl. Avoid lumps & don’t add any water. Set it in the refrigerator for 10-15 mins. The mixture will be easier to handle & shape when slightly cold.

For the outer coating:

1/2 cup rice flour (options given at the end of the post**)

some water

salt to taste

1 cup fine rawa / semolina

1-2 tsp oil to cook

Method:

Make a thick paste using rice flour and little water. Season it with some salt. Not too much though, as the croquettes will have seasonings. Place the semolina in a plate to roll the croquettes.

Heat the Appe pan alongside and add a few drops of oil in each indentation. The pan should nicely heated, if not the croquettes won’t be crunchy.

For assembling:

Take the mixture out of the refrigerator and immediately make 7-8 equal sized balls and set it aside. Coat each ball with the rice flour paste and then roll it in semolina. Place it in an indentation of the Appe pan. Repeat the same steps for the other balls too. Cook on each side for about 3-4 mins to get an even colour & crunch. You can add a few more drops of oil if required. Once done, serve them piping hot with some ketchup or green chutney ☺️

**They are super crunchy as they are coated with rice flour. Although, if you don’t have rice flour, you can use cornflour or APF (Maida) in the same quantity and follow the same steps.

They turned out perfect…almost oil-free…ideal for kids too! My hubby loved them ….because this is the first time made a non fried version of these Croquettes…😀😀 No one can really know the difference. A must try for all 👌

Everyone loves Pizzas! It’s true…I haven’t ever come across anyone who doesn’t 😉 I can have it everyday! It’s the oozing cheese along with a tangy pizza sauce that really makes all the difference for me….and not to forget…a really good pizza base 😊

Yes…nothing tastes worst than a chewy, rubbery pizza base…no matter how good your sauce or toppings are!! The base or the crust, must have the perfect balance of flavour, airiness & should be light! That is obviously achieved by using yeast in the right proportion & proving the dough with great care. And I have finally perfected the recipe for a perfect pizza base! Learnt the trick from A Spicy Perspective! A few trials & errors have taught me something very important – proportion. It’s the key to getting perfect results! I was so driven to perfect it…that I finally bought a proper kitchen weighing scale too 😬 ….something that I had been putting off for almost an year!

The results are for you to see! A perfect crust with soft, pillowy texture within… I have used this recipe almost thrice now & I am happy each time! So I thought of making something which was lying in my Pinterest folders for the longest time ever! Pizza Pinwheels! I did my take on it and made a bit Rustic..! Hence, Rustic Pizza Pinwheels!

The recipe for the base is adapted from Nita Mehta’s cookbook with a slight change in the ingredients & proportions as well. I did watch many YouTube videos to understand the kneading bit over the last few months!! 😀 So, to make the Pinwheels happen, I followed the recipe for the base & then worked on it with some sauce & fillings of my choice! Pizzas can be so versatile…just play with the toppings…infinite options👌I like my pizza simple…you can easily alter them as per your preference…you can add non-veg fillings as well..or keep it simple with just the sauce & some cheese 😄 Let’s get started with the recipe….

Take warm water in a bowl, add the sugar and yeast to it. Cover it and leave to prove & froth for 10 mins in a warm place. Next, in a large mixing bowl, add the flour, 2 1/2 tbsp oil, salt to taste. Now add the entire proved yeast mixture & using a fork mix everything together to make a sticky dough. It will be very sticky but should not be falling apart at all. Now, sprinkle some flour on a work surface, and drop the dough on it,sprinkle some more flour over the dough. Using your palms, start kneading the dough well. Add more flour if the dough feels too sticky or some water if it feels very dry. Keep kneading well for 10 mins. You will have a neat, non-sticky ball of dough. Knead it for a couple of mins more. It should all look like this.

Now, grease the mixing bowl which you have kept aside & place the dough in it, cover with a lid or cling film & set aside in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours to prove. It should be double or more than double in size after proving. It will look like this.

In the meanwhile, pre-heat the oven at 210’C.

Now, punch down the dough, and knead for a min. Then again sprinkle some flour on the work surface & using a rolling pin, roll the dough in a rectangular shape. The thickness should be about 6-7 mm. Dust it with some flour again. Now leaving an inch space on all four sides, spread some pizza sauce, top it with mayonnaise, then the garlic pwd, Italian herbs, salt, grated cheese & some veggies of your choice. Flatten them out carefully. And start rolling from one end, carefully so that the dough doesn’t tear or the filling shouldn’t spill out. Seal the edges by pinching them together. Next, using a sharp knife, cut pinwheels of about 1 1/2″ thickness. Make sure the fillings don’t spill. Grease your baking tray with some oil. Place these pinwheels carefully a little apart from one another.

Bake these for 25 mins @ 210′ C using both upper and lower heating rods. If you see that they are turning too dark, lower the temperature as each oven is different. Once done, remove from the oven & cool for 5 mins on a cooling rack. Serve them warm with any dip/ sauce of your choice! My hubby & I dipped it in some garlic butter…it was pure heaven! 😇

Totally drool-worthy, aren’t they?!!! 😛 These were yummy…..do try soon! They are a great option to serve at kids parties, or as starters…even alongside your favourite soup! 👌😁

I became a huge fan of these Pyaaz ki Kachori, when I visited Jaipur almost a decade ago and stopped by Rawat’s…. These Kachoris were crisp on the outside and perfectly moist within..and such a burst of flavour with every mouthful! Can’t remember how many I must’ve eaten back then!! 😬

They were always on my mind… I mean I wanted to replicate these forever… And I finally made up my mind that I’d give it a go with whatever flavour I still got in my mouth when I thought of them & obviously..my ever obliging mom asked one of friends for a general idea as to what would go into making these.. My mom’s friend spent a good couple of years in Jaipur very recently and luckily had a fair idea about the ingredients! Lucky me! 😇

That’s what they looked like from inside…although I didn’t make very large ones..we loved the overall flavour & they did come pretty close to original Rawat’s famous Pyaaz ki Kachori. It’s pretty easy and doesn’t need too much prepping!! Let’s get on with the recipe…

️Yield: 7-8 medium Kachori

Equipment: a large heavy bottom wok, a slotted spatula, a large mixing bowl, measuring cups/ spoons, a blender, some tissues/ absorbent kitchen paper, a small pan

Ingredients:

For the the outer cover:

2 cups APF (Maida)

1 tbsp warm ghee

water as needed

1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

salt to taste

Method:

Take the flour in a large mixing bowl, add warm ghee and rub the flour with your fingertips for 7-8 mins, then season with salt & carom seeds. Add adequate water to make a medium stiff dough. Cover it with a damp cloth and set aside.

Heat a pan & dry roast coriander seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns, cumin seeds & whole dry red hollies for 5-6 mins. Turn off heat the heat and let them cool for a few mins. Next, grind these coarsely in a blender. Set aside.

Heat oil in the same pan, add chopped onions & a pinch of sugar and sauté till they turn a bit brown. Next add the fresh spice pwd, turmeric pwd and give them a mix. Also add the ginger, garlic & green chilli pastes and sauté for 3-4 mins. Let the oil separate from the spices…it will take about 4-5 mins. Season with salt & add the Garam masala. Cook for another 5 mins. Add amchur pwd and chopped coriander leaves. Stir and turn off the heat and set it aside.

Assembling:

Knead the dough once again and make small balls of equal size. Flatten each out with your fingers and your palm or rolling pin. The diameter can about 3″ or less & thickness should be a little more than that of a puri. Then add a tbsp or so of the filling and close the ball well so that the filling doesn’t come out while frying.

Now, heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed wok. Once it’s enough, drop 2-3 Kachoris in the oil and fry well from both side until they turn a rich golden colour. Drain well on a tissue paper/ absorbent kitchen paper. That’s it! Done 😉 I served these hot with some fried green chillies & imli ki khatti meethi chutney 👌👌😀

The filling, if kept in the refrigerator can last for 2-3 days. Hope you enjoy these soon!

I love everything cheesy….does that sound cheesy?! 😉 but it’s true…I could add cheese to my ‘dal roti’ too…!!.and thinking back…I might have actually done that at some point in time! Mom would know better 😆😆

And my hubby happens to be my opposite when it comes to cheese…he does like it but follows a diet and cheats rarely 😱😱 I mean really rarely! So whenever I make something loaded with cheese ..cream and butter..I end up eating most of it as he sticks to a bite or two…(no complains) …more for me! 😛😛💃

So coming to these beauties…I had been craving something cheesy for a couple of days..so I decided to make a cheesy dish….full of butter, cream and loads and loads of cheese…but was doubtful if hubby dearest would ‘cheat’ …so texted him..asking the same..and to my complete and utter surprise…he wrote ‘I am in the mood for something cheesy too! Avoid a pizza..something new maybe 😁’ I smiled to myself! I didn’t want pizza too. I already had something in my mind that I had been eyeing on Pinterest for a few weeks! But didn’t really follow any recipe…I never need one when it comes to CHEESE!!!

It took me all of 45 mins to get this on the table! Quick, delicious…every bite oozing with cheese, cream and melting butter! Not a dieters dream 😜

Pre-heat the oven @ 200’C (turn on both the upper and lower rods for this). Line a baking tray with aluminium foil and grease it with some butter /oil.

Cut the 2 par-boiled potatoes in half very carefully keeping the skin intact, you will have 4 halves. Scoop out the potatoes but keep some flesh intact close to the skin for all 4 halves. Now, keep the scooped potatoes aside, and take a bowl, add the scooped potato flesh, cream, mix Italian spice pwd, peri-peri spice pwd, red chilli flakes, garlic granules, butter & salt to taste. Give it a good mix, it should be smooth and creamy. Now fill the potato skins with this mixture. Sprinkle some bread crumbs on top of each filled potato skin. Spread generous amount of grated cheese on top of the bread crumbs. Sprinkle some sea salt, red chilli flakes & mixed Italian spice pwd for extra flavour. Drizzle some oil over each filled and dressed potato skin. Keep them on the prepared baking tray a little apart from each other. Bake them for 20 mins in the top most rack of your oven so that the filled skins get a good colour! 😊

Once baked, keep them on the cooling rack for a few mins. Plate these, add a dollop of sour cream….sprinkle some red chilli flakes & Italian spice pwd! That’s it.. Enjoy these hot and gooey..melting right onto your plates!

Since I was serving them for dinner. I paired them with some fresh green salad and a glass of chilled orange juice! A complete meal in just 45 mins!